Earlier this week, Helsingin Sanomat published a disheartening article where two specialists predict that the Covid-19 pandemic will last longer than we were expecting: between two and five more years. As the facts unfold while scrolling this news, it is inevitable not to reflect on how most of us are still trying to find a way to balance restrictions, uncertainty, fear and fatigue. How can we carry this any longer? - we wonder why. Perhaps it is now the time to stop expecting the pandemic to be over but, instead, find a new normal where ‘the show must go on’.
The live events industry was paused for a very long time, which caused several issues that will remain in the sector over the next decade. Once the pandemic is here to stay, it is crucial to respond to the future in brand new ways, creating bold, cutting-edge experiences for shows and exhibitions. How? Firstly, by accepting that the world will never be the same anymore. According to this article on Forbes, A New Era For Live Events: Bringing Brand Experiences To A Post-Covid World, we are entering the 21st Century’s exciting Roaring ‘20s, where people have new values, which demand an ecosystem able to listen to their needs.
Reimagining the future of live events sounds even more challenging. The audience's lack of trust affects ticket sales, venues need to be operating according to the latest safety and security measures, and artists are constantly dealing with last-minute cancellations. Finding order in the chaos seems an impossible task. Yet, current trends indicate a possible route to get through the pandemic times and find exciting opportunities to move forward.
When we first conceptualized Eventual, we had no idea how the pandemic was evolving. It was mid-2020 and, despite the unpredictable future, we were sure about one thing: this is the time to reset the stage and change the events industry. Once the sustainability of the sector was a big concern, our motivation was about finding a solution for events professionals to thrive and audiences to play a more active role. Imagining the future of live events was, since day one, all about bringing back human connections and deepening the interaction between artists and crowd by creating a space for diversity and democratization to coexist - and that was why our platform was born.
In the next decade, what do we want to experience? The answer points to the importance of facilitating human-to-human interaction, according to Forbes' argument that "we should look at them as spaces for consumers to meet, share and bond over their interests. That means curating content that aligns with the audience’s cultural values and amplifying diverse talent at the forefront of culture”. Finding a community that shares your interests was never so important and we aim to keep prioritizing the power of community-driven events, replacing the traditional gatekeepers with a process where the audience supports the artists and the shows they want to attend.
Movements such as Black Lives Matter reinforce that the Roaring ‘20s call for a more diverse and inclusive society, which should also be present on and off the stage. At Eventual, we provide a safe space where underrepresented voices can find their crowd and support, creating an atmosphere where accessibility, diverse ideas, and stories are a priority. Encouraging diversity to exist side-by-side is one of the ultimate goals to redefine the events industry of the future.
As the future looks blurry and distant, we want to focus on rebuilding and reacting to the changes around us. The world might not be the same anymore - but why not picture a better one, where community, diversity, and accessibility are the founding principles of a more interconnected society. If you share the same vision, we have a challenge for you - let's reset the stage together and become the catalyst for a change.
